pacman000 wrote:Under: Atari 2600I know this system has a lots of respect here, but on newer game sites it's blamed for the video game crash of 1983-1984, and that's all anyone remembers. That's so unfair. The 2600 was the 1st successful system with interchangeable media. That's a huge accomplishment. The games may have been simple, but they formed the foundation for other games that followed.

Good points.

The games for the 2600 (and its immediate competition like the Odyssey 2 and Fairchild) are shockingly primitive from what most gamers under 40 ever experienced. The games are just a few kilobytes of data long, the graphics are just crudely suggestive of what they represent, the gameplay is a simple direction joystick and a single button, etc. Yes, most of us here can appreciate them (some because we grew up with them), but we should remember that its just we have drawn the line a rung up from many others. One rung down might be pong games, ASCII games, simple text adventures or early type-in BASIC games, which are often more primitive. Even the foundation laid by the Atari 2600 was not built on a vacuum.

As for the Crash, which happened 6 years into the Atari 2600's lifespan, had lots of contributors. Some of those issues - like spending lots of money for a license but the game not meeting expectations, or an abundance of low quality games due to a low barrier for entry, still remain.

I no longer see any consoles as overrated or underrated within retro circles (such as the people who browse this site). We all know more about the consoles more so than we did say five years ago.

As for the general public, I'd say NES and SNES or overrated, while ALL non-Genesis Sega consoles are underrated. I've spent quite a lot of time inside video game stores, and I can hear "average Bobs" come in and have conversations with those behind the counter. They are always bringing up NES and SNES, and reflecting on certain games. Consequently, I think they are part of the reason why Nintendo games prices are inflated. They are really into the whole "wow, that game is worth a lot now" scene.

The talk about Genesis as well. Many can't remember the word "Genesis," but they say they used to have a "Sega." If someone asks them which one, they start to get confused, because they don't know that Sega had other consoles.

Overrated:My first thought was, how can it not be a Nintendo console? Anything "overrated" is usually good to begin with, but then taken to extremes by crazed fans. No one does that better than Nintendo fans. As for which console... I don't think the NES was overrated back in the day, but I think it is way overrated as a retro console. Besides a few classics, most 8-bit games aren't as fun as people remember, and I bet a lot of casual retro gamers learned that the hard way when they paid $200 for the NES mini. I think the N64 was overrated then and even more so now. And even the Switch is a 1-game system that is getting way too much love too. .... Outside of Nintendo, I'll steal MoarRipter's thought and pick the Neo Geo. Good system, but overhyped by the mystique of it. Limited selection (yes the fighting games are good, but I don't need 300), and a lack of genres with depth/substance, due to it being all arcade games.

Underrated:First system that popped in my head was the 3DO. When you check out the library, you realized that it actually has a nice selection of good games, and it's often overlooked. For a curveball, I'd go with the Philips CD-i too. I'm not saying it's good--just "underrated" relative to its reputation. It probably has the best FMV quality of any 90s system, for whatever that's worth. It also has a huge selection of games that no one has ever taken the time to explore...who knows, maybe there's a few gems in there. If nothing else, the Zelda/Mario games for it are always worth a laugh. For handhelds, the N-Gage is usually treated as a joke, but it actually has a pretty decent library when you check it out.

Overrated: Atari 2600. Yes, it has a charm in its simplicity. And it's not really fair to just blame E.T. and Pac-Man 2600 for the great crash of '83 since there were other contributors as well. But a lot of the more complex games I can't seem to get into. For a lot of them, I don't really know what I'm supposed to do, and most of the games I own are cart-only (a manual would help). Don't get me wrong, I love the 2600. And I enjoy the more straightforward titles like Phoenix, Maze Craze, and Space Invaders. But in some areas, I'm not as into it as other consoles.

Underrated: Dreamcast. I have yet to find copies of Shenmue and Jet Grind Radio. But playing through Airforce Delta, Crazy Taxi, Daytona USA, Sega GT, and Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 was enough to have me invested. I really do think the console should've had a better chance at success, for I too believe that it's one of the most underrated consoles of all time.

This is a great topic. For overrated it's easy. It's the PS1. That system has egg on its face if you ask me. The crude graphics and load times just beat you down. I strongly disagree that the Neo Geo is overrated. It being only for arcade games and short on genres actually is a great thing if you like that sort of thing.

Not a fan of the controls, the graphics look TERRIBLE compared to the N64 or Saturn. Peeps whine about the N64s "vaseline look", but compared to the utter graininess of the PlayStation, it's a godsend. The thing itself is rather boring looking, and the load times are garbage. But "muh" RPGs seems to propel it to the top, that and Metal Gear Solid. Not the greatest fan of PS2 either, but at least the library is really really big.

Underrated: Wii U

At this point, it has to be the Wii U, which had such an interesting controller, and the Amiibo wasn't all that bad an idea. It's just a shame it got marketed so poorly. Sure it was lacking game wise, but like the N64, it was a matter of quality over quantity. I'd understand a little hate, but the reception ended up being utter apathy. Even the Cube had some passionate detractors and fans.

Not a fan of the controls, the graphics look TERRIBLE compared to the N64 or Saturn. Peeps whine about the N64s "vaseline look", but compared to the utter graininess of the PlayStation, it's a godsend. The thing itself is rather boring looking, and the load times are garbage. But "muh" RPGs seems to propel it to the top, that and Metal Gear Solid. Not the greatest fan of PS2 either, but at least the library is really really big.

Underrated: Wii U

At this point, it has to be the Wii U, which had such an interesting controller, and the Amiibo wasn't all that bad an idea. It's just a shame it got marketed so poorly. Sure it was lacking game wise, but like the N64, it was a matter of quality over quantity. I'd understand a little hate, but the reception ended up being utter apathy. Even the Cube had some passionate detractors and fans.

Compared to the Saturn? Huh? The Saturn is even less capable than the PS1 in terms of 3D, but it has strong 2D.

jon wrote:This is a great topic. For overrated it's easy. It's the PS1. That system has egg on its face if you ask me. The crude graphics and load times just beat you down. I strongly disagree that the Neo Geo is overrated. It being only for arcade games and short on genres actually is a great thing if you like that sort of thing.

PS1 had the most beautiful games of its generation. Check out these backgrounds from FFIX: